Statkraft unveils ambitious plans to build 3GW of renewables by 2030

Statkraft has revealed that it plans to roll out 3 gigawatts of renewable energy projects in Ireland by 2030. This includes the company’s ambition to deliver its 500MW North Irish Sea Array (NISA) offshore wind project by 2030.

Reaching this 3-gigawatt target would solidify Statkraft’s position as one of the top developers in Ireland, while making a significant contribution to the State’s target of generating 80 per cent of electricity from renewable sources by the end of the decade. 

Statkraft’s roadmap to 3 GW includes 1.5 GW of projects that have recently been built or are already in construction; an additional 330 MW with signed route to market through the Government’s Renewable Electricity Supply Scheme (RESS) or via Corporate Power Purchase Agreement (CPPA), and 500 MW from the offshore RESS contract for the company’s NISA project, proposed for an area off the coast of counties Dublin, Louth, and Meath.

The company cites an additional 400 MW of wind and solar projects that have full planning permission, with route to market planned for this year. Furthermore, Statkraft has several grid services projects that have also been granted planning permission. A route to market will be sought for these projects this year.

In addition, the Irish arm of the Norwegian state-owned renewables giant pointed out that plans for over 375 MW of wind and solar projects have been submitted to An Bord Pleanála and are awaiting a decision. 

Finally, sufficient land has been secured to allow for a pipeline of projects totalling between 200 MW and 250 MW to be submitted for planning permission every year for the next three or four years. 

Making the announcement ahead of tomorrow’s Wind Energy Ireland conference, at which he will deliver a keynote address, Kevin O’Donovan, Managing Director of Statkraft Ireland, said: “Since Statkraft first entered the Irish market in 2018, we’ve been making huge strides to ensure that our projects make an important contribution to the ‘80 by 30’ targets set by the Government. Our work continues apace and the plans we’ve unveiled today demonstrate our determination to make a real difference to Ireland’s climate and energy security.

“We’ve always said that there’s no silver bullet to reducing emissions from the energy sector. Ireland’s energy future needs will be powered by a range of renewable technologies working in harmony, so we’re proud to be one of the country’s first renewable energy companies to have a fully integrated approach to clean energy production.”

Donal O’Sullivan, Statkraft Ireland’s VP for Development and Offshore, added: “I’m extremely proud of what the team has achieved since Statkraft entered the Irish market in 2018. This strategy, which is grounded in advanced-stage development assets, is the result of years of hard work developing assets across a range of technologies that benefit from a diverse route-to-market strategy that we’ve established for Ireland. 

“Public acceptance is also vital to the successful delivery of these projects, so we look forward to continuing to engage with local communities to ensure that we can roll out renewable energy projects that futureproof Ireland’s energy security while tackling climate change.”

The projects, which range from onshore and offshore wind to solar power and grid services, signal the company’s commitment towards a more integrated approach to clean energy generation. Last September, Statkraft announced that it planned to build and co-locate Ireland’s first four-hour grid-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) with its 56MW Cushaling Wind Farm, which is currently under construction. Planning permission has also been granted for a solar farm at the site, with the capacity to power more than 20,000 homes.